You remember Ricardo Avila who successfully operated his family restaurant for many years. It was after he was featured on a Food Network program making tamales that the marvelous Tex Mex spot was lifted to full on high demand mode and was ousted by interloping family members.

Avila went on to open Mextopia in April of 2010 and offered kicked up Tex Mex favorites on Lowest Greenville Avnue. At that time the tract of Greenville was under turmoil and the city was busy cleaning up the crime situation doing plenty of road work that kept clientele from seeing his restaurant. Avila compensated by offering nights with Latin Jazz, and even a fantastic bacon happy hour where you merely needed to purchase a single beer to enjoy large platefuls of his thick, sweet and spicy bacon.

Ricardo dealing with the Greenville construction

Avila viewed the area on Greenville as up and coming, and he was totally correct. It is now one of the hottest areas of Dallas, featuring the very first Trader Joes in Dallas (yes, more being built as this is written), the Truck Yard, HG Sply, The Blind Butcher, Dude, Sweet Chocolate and so much more.

Avila’s Mextopia succumb to closure mostly due to the construction back in January of 2013. Avila promised to re=open omewhere else in Dallas, and we continued to follow up with him on occasion. At one pint he said he would most likely move to the Northwest and explore options there.

Today Avila sends word that he is moving away in just a few weeks to open a Bed and Breakfast on the big island of Hawaii, just outside Pahoa. He will continue to keep in touch and we will post information on how you can visit the former prince of Dallas Tex Mex in Hawaii. We wish him continued success in him travels.